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2012 Toyota Highlander problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls
No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Toyota Highlander. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 15% of relevant complaints.
Better than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).
Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 27 of 191 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). For comparison, the 2011 scores 19% and the 2013 scores 26%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.
Complaints by component
The years either side
Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.
How the 2012 compares with other Toyota Highlander years
Of the 14 Toyota Highlander years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 4th-best on engine and transmission share (15%). The worst is the 2019 (68%), the best the 2014 (9%). By volume, the 2012 drew 191 complaints (27 drivetrain), against 186 for the 2011 and 212 for the 2013.
Toyota Highlander years to avoid and best years →
2010 Highlander problems · 2011 Highlander problems · 2012 · 2013 Highlander problems · 2014 Highlander problems · 2015 Highlander problems · 2016 Highlander problems · 2017 Highlander problems · 2018 Highlander problems · 2019 Highlander problems · 2020 Highlander problems · 2021 Highlander problems · 2022 Highlander problems · 2023 Highlander problems
The rest of the picture on the 2012 Toyota Highlander
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
- Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.
What one owner reported
One of 27 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.
2012 Toyota Highlander engine and transmission recalls
No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.
2 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model; one of NHTSA's listings did not answer when this page was built, so the list may be incomplete. Checked October 3, 2026.
Checking one particular 2012 Toyota Highlander? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.
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Does the 2012 Toyota Highlander have engine or transmission problems?
Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 27 of 191 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Toyota Highlander concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (15%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.
What is the most common problem with the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Toyota Highlander is steering: 47 of 191 complaints (25%) name it, followed by electrical system (30) and structure (22). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 15% of the relevant total.
Is the 2012 Toyota Highlander reliable?
On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 15% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 94% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 14 Toyota Highlander years we score, it ranks 4th-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.
Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Toyota Highlander?
No. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns on the 2012 Toyota Highlander, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.
Which Toyota Highlander years are better?
Among the Toyota Highlander years we track, the 2014 (9%), the 2010 (13%) and the 2015 (13%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (15%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/toyota-highlander
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.